KINEX with Kids: 15 Enrichment Centres, a Closed Playground and a Buffet Where Under-Fives Eat Free (2026)

29 September 2026 · 14 min read

The indoor playground at KINEX has gone, and the mall is a better place to bring a child than when it was open. Wan To Play Space, the space-themed soft-play room at #01-K1 that charged $35 for two hours, is no longer in the mall's directory. Its unit is now a Geláre ice cream counter, the mall's playground page returns an error, and no closure date was ever published.

Instead, KINEX has one of the densest clusters of children's enrichment centres in the east. The directory lists 15 tenants under Enrichment Centre, and all but a secondary-school tuition studio take children: art, coding, ballet, hip hop, wushu, taekwon-do, music, cooking, phonics, Chinese and a full-day preschool. They share Levels 2 and 3 with a dental clinic and a family karaoke, so two classes can run back to back.

The mall itself is small, with 36 food outlets on three floors and a basement, no food court, and a car park that charges $2.40 flat after 6pm. It opened as OneKM and is run by the same group as United Square and Velocity@Novena Square. Paya Lebar MRT is a six-minute walk, across Geylang Road from Exit D.

Six of the 15 centres are on Jungle and four will give your child a first lesson free. This guide covers every kids' reason to go, place by place, with the unit, the hours and the price. Where a centre publishes no fee we say so. For the wider area, read our guide to things to do with kids in Kallang, Paya Lebar and Geylang.

Quick steer

• Best for a rainy hour with a toddler: nothing inside since Wan To Play closed. SMIGY at PLQ Mall across the road, from $23.
• Best free thing: the Banyan Tree playground at PLQ Parkside, 9am to 9pm, five minutes on foot.
• Best class to trial first: Tree Art, a free 60-minute lesson with materials, Level 2.
• Best age for this mall: 3 to 10.

Family favourites: play at KINEX

1. Wan To Play Space

Wan To Play Space opened at #01-K1 as a space-themed indoor playground with a trampoline zone, a padded obstacle course with slides, a ball pit with an interactive screen, kinetic sand, pretend-play corners and a row of arcade rides. Admission was $35 for one child and one adult for two hours, socks required, open 9am to 9pm daily. Little Day Out's August 2024 review already noted the air cannons were out of order and the space looked worn.

In September 2026 it is gone. The mall's directory lists Geláre at #01-K1, the mall's page for the playground returns a server error, and no closure date was published. If you are driving in for the ball pit, do not.

Why kids will love it: They would have loved the trampolines. Now the nearest indoor play is SMIGY on Level 3 of PLQ Mall across the road, from $23 for an hour, best for ages 1 to 6.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: KINEX directory
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-K1, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Closed. Removed from the mall directory by September 2026. No closure date published.
Price: Was $35 for one child and one adult for two hours.
Ages: Was 2 to 10.
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9), 6 minutes on foot.

2. Funtan

Funtan is the arcade, spread over two units: the main floor at #B1-21 and a second room at #03-K1. It is built for teenagers and rhythm-game players, with four maimai cabinets, Chunithm, Taiko no Tatsujin and Wangan racing machines, and it runs a wall of claw machines with licensed prizes, including a Labubu catcher the mall promoted this year.

Play is by stored-value card bought at the counter. It opens 11.30am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 10pm at weekends.

This is not a toddler place. There is no soft play, no kiddy rides and no seating for a parent, and the basement room is loud. For a seven-year-old with a ten-dollar note it is the best 20 minutes in the building.

Why kids will love it: Whacking a taiko drum in time to an anime theme, then losing $4 to a claw machine. Best for ages 7 to 14. Go before 4pm on a weekday, when the rhythm-game regulars are still at school.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: Funtan at KINEX
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #B1-21 and #03-K1, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 11.30am to 10pm. Sat and Sun 10am to 10pm.
Price: Funtan does not publish its game fees online. Pay by stored-value card at the counter.
Ages: Best for 7 and up.
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9), 6 minutes on foot.

The rest of the ground floor is a mixed bag for a child. The mall's directory lists a Toys"R"Us at #01-08 to 12, but the chain's own store locator on 29 September 2026 shows 12 stores and none at KINEX, so call the mall on 8368 8743 before you promise anyone a toy shop.

Sing My Song Family Karaoke at #03-05/09 rents rooms by the hour and takes children. Hi-Claw runs a second bank of claw machines. Bingxue at #B1-30 sells a $1 matcha ice cream, which is the cheapest bribe in the building, and Geláre at #01-K1 sells the more expensive one from 11am to 9pm.

Learn and play: classes at KINEX you can book on Jungle

Fifteen centres are listed under Enrichment Centre and 14 take children. Level 2 is the kids' floor: art, ballet, hip hop, wushu, phonics, Chinese and taekwon-do within 40 metres. Six are on Jungle and come first. Four offer a free trial: The Lab, Tree Art, Huacheng Elite and Spartan Kids.

3. Aureus Academy

Photo: Aureus Academy, Jungle listing

Aureus Academy's KINEX branch is in the basement at #B1-23/27, open 10am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 7pm at weekends, which is longer than any other centre in the mall. Lessons are one-to-one in piano, drums, guitar, violin and voice, with a Musical Adventure group class for the youngest.

Aureus is the only music school in the building and one of two centres here that publish a price: $279 a month for four 30-minute lessons, $399 for 45 minutes and $519 for 60 minutes. A trial is booked online; the trial price is not published.

Why kids will love it: A drum kit they are allowed to hit, and a trophy at the end of every grade. Best for ages 5 and up who want an instrument rather than music and movement.

Book on Jungle: Aureus Academy
Website: Aureus Academy at KINEX
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #B1-23/27, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 10am to 8pm. Sat and Sun 9am to 7pm.
Price: $279, $399 or $519 a month for four 30, 45 or 60-minute lessons. Trial bookable online.
Ages: 2 to 18.

4. Little Cook

Photo: Little Cook, Jungle listing

Little Cook at #01-29 is an open kitchen studio where a child aged 3 to 8 cooks a real dish with a parent beside them, using child-safe knives and a menu of more than 20 recipes chosen on the day. A dish takes 20 to 30 minutes to make and 15 to eat.

The studio runs two-hour Learning Journey sessions at 10.15am and 3pm, and the parent is required to take part, so this is not a drop-off. Its Jungle rating is 3.8 from 81 reviews, the lowest of the six listed centres, and the studio does not publish a price online; it quotes by WhatsApp.

Why kids will love it: Cracking an egg into a bowl without anyone saying "careful", then eating what they made. Best for ages 3 to 6. The 10.15am slot suits a toddler better than the 3pm one.

Book on Jungle: Little Cook
Website: Little Cook
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-29, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon, Wed to Fri 12pm to 7pm. Sat and Sun 10.15am to 7pm. Closed Tue. The mall directory lists 10am to 9pm daily; go by the studio.
Price: Little Cook does not publish its session fees online. WhatsApp 8947 8256.
Ages: 3 to 8.

5. Singapore Taekwon-do Academy

Photo: Singapore Taekwon-do Academy, Jungle listing

Singapore Taekwon-do Academy, founded in 1971 and the oldest traditional taekwon-do body in the country, runs its Katong class inside the Distinct Creative Arts studio at #02-25. It is a one-slot arrangement: Sundays at 6pm, kids in Studio A and teens and adults in Studio B, taught by senior instructor Adrian Huan. Fees are monthly with no deposit and no term prepayment, and sparring and self-defence are included from white belt. The amount is not published.

Why kids will love it: Board breaking and jump kicks in a proper dance studio with mirrors. Best for ages 6 to 12. One class a week is a light commitment, which is the point for a first martial art.

Book on Jungle: Singapore Taekwon-do Academy
Website: STA Katong
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-25, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Sun 6pm, kids' class. By timetable; WhatsApp 8818 8010.
Price: Monthly fees. STA does not publish its monthly fees online.
Ages: 4 to 18.

6. The Lab Singapore

Photo: The Lab Singapore, Jungle listing

The Lab at #03-01/02 is the coding and robotics school, and it is refreshingly clear about money. Kinder classes for ages 5 to 6 cost $650 for a term of ten or $2,400 for the year; Junior for 7 to 9 is $700 a term or $2,600 a year; Coder for 10 to 14 is a monthly membership from $320 to $380 depending on the length. Registration is $80.

Every child is assigned a robot to programme. The first class is free, and the mall's current promotion adds $100 off school fees for new sign-ups.

Why kids will love it: A robot that does what they typed, then does it wrong, then does it right. Best for ages 6 to 10. Book the free trial on a Saturday morning.

Book on Jungle: The Lab Singapore
Website: The Lab fees
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #03-01/02, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Tue to Fri 3pm to 7.30pm. Sat and Sun 10am to 6pm. Closed Mon. Call 8488 7017.
Price: Free trial class. $650 a term of 10 for ages 5 to 6, $700 for 7 to 9, $320 to $380 a month for 10 to 14. Registration $80.
Ages: 5 to 16.

7. Tree Art

Photo: Tree Art, Jungle listing

Tree Art's Paya Lebar campus at #02-07/08 has the best reviews of any centre in the mall, 5 stars from 159 on Jungle, and the simplest offer: a free 60-minute trial for any child from 3 to 18, materials included, in a class of no more than six.

Creative Art for ages 3 to 8 covers painting, drawing and outdoor sketching; Professional Art from 8 moves into fine art and design; there is a DSA visual art track for primary and secondary students. Term fees are not published.

Why kids will love it: Paint on their hands and a canvas to take home after the first hour. Best for ages 4 to 8. Bring a water bottle and old clothes.

Book on Jungle: Tree Art
Website: Tree Art
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-07/08, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Tue to Fri 1.30pm to 7.30pm. Sat and Sun 9.30am to 7.30pm. Closed Mon.
Price: Free 60-minute trial. Tree Art does not publish its term fees online. Call 8894 5066.
Ages: 3 to 18.

8. Yan Ballet Academy

Photo: Yan Ballet Academy, Jungle listing

Yan Ballet Academy's Tanjong Katong branch takes four units, #02-30/31/32 and #02-50, and teaches the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus from Pre-Primary through eight graded and six vocational levels, with a toddler class for 2.5 to 4 and beginners from 4.

The founder danced as a soloist with Shanghai Ballet, and the Elite Programme is by audition. Terms run to a published calendar: Term 2 of 2026 ran 5 April to 15 July. Registration is $60 per family; term fees are in the office, not online. Its Jungle rating is 3.8 from 21 reviews.

Why kids will love it: A real barre, a real exam and a certificate with a crown on it. Best for ages 4 to 8 who respond to structure. Ask for the KINEX timetable PDF before you visit.

Book on Jungle: Yan Ballet Academy
Website: Yan Ballet Academy
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-30/31/32, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: 2pm to 10pm daily, by class timetable. Call 6514 5175.
Price: Registration $60. Yan Ballet Academy does not publish its term fees online.
Ages: 2 to 18.

9. Distinct Creative Arts

Distinct Creative Arts, or DCA, is the hip hop studio that hosts the taekwon-do class above, at #02-K5 and #02-25/26. Kids' courses run for ages 3 to 10 and teens 11 to 16, in 8-session packages of 90 minutes at $345, with a $20 trial. Open classes for all ages are 75 minutes and $15 a go, or $50 for five.

The studio is open 3pm to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 10pm at weekends, and it has a social mission: it puts a share of its work into dance for at-risk young people.

Why kids will love it: Learning a K-pop chorus in a mirrored studio and filming it. Best for ages 6 to 12 who would rather dance to Blackpink than Tchaikovsky.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: DCA kids' courses
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-25/26, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 3pm to 10pm. Sat and Sun 10am to 10pm.
Price: Trial $20. 8-session kids' course $345. Open class $15.
Ages: 3 to 16.

10. Huacheng Elite Wushu Academy

Huacheng Elite at #02-35/36 is a wushu school led by a competition coach, teaching fist forms, weapons and the flips and jumps that make the sport look like gymnastics with a sword. Wushu Tots starts at 4, and the academy runs its older students towards national-level competition. The studio is open 3pm to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 10pm at weekends. A free trial is booked by WhatsApp; fees are not published.

Why kids will love it: A wooden staff, a cartwheel and permission to shout. Best for ages 4 to 10 with energy to burn.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: Huacheng Elite Wushu Academy
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-35/36, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 3pm to 10pm. Sat and Sun 10am to 10pm.
Price: Free trial. Huacheng Elite does not publish its term fees online. WhatsApp 8835 1515.
Ages: 4 and up.

11. Spartan Kids at Mavis Tutorial Centre

Mavis Tutorial Centre at #02-K3 is a 40-year-old tuition chain, and Spartan Kids is its preschool arm: English and maths for ages 18 months to 6, in groups of 6 to 12, built to land a child in Primary 1 reading.

The centre also runs primary, secondary and JC tuition, which is why it opens until 9.30pm. A free trial is bookable, and the centre is offering up to 25 per cent off monthly fees for early registration for 2027. Fees themselves are not published.

Why kids will love it: Sitting on a chair with a pencil is not a natural pleasure for a three-year-old, but the classes are small and short. Best for ages 4 to 6 in the year before Primary 1.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: Mavis KINEX
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-K3, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon and Tue 12.30pm to 8.30pm. Wed to Fri 1.30pm to 9.30pm. Sat 9am to 6pm. Sun 9am to 5.30pm.
Price: Free trial. Mavis does not publish its monthly fees online. Call 6344 3093.
Ages: 18 months to 18.

12. School of Concepts

School of Concepts at #02-38 teaches phonics, English and maths to children under 12 through what it calls an Optimal Learning Style approach, plus STEAM workshops under its FunBox series. Lessons are play-based and the centre is closed on Mondays. It is one of the two dedicated early-literacy centres in the mall, alongside Spartan Kids, so compare the two before you sign a term.

Why kids will love it: Phonics taught with things they can hold, not worksheets. Best for ages 3 to 7.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: School of Concepts at KINEX
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-38, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Tue to Fri 11am to 9pm. Sat and Sun 9am to 6pm. Closed Mon and public holidays.
Price: School of Concepts does not publish its term fees online. Call 9237 5595.
Ages: 3 to 12.

13. MindChamps PreSchool

MindChamps PreSchool at #03-19/40 is the full-day option: playgroup, nursery and kindergarten for 18 months to 6 years, 7am to 7pm on weekdays, closed at weekends. It is the only preschool in the mall, and the mall's current promotion for it is 10 per cent off fees for 12 months plus a waived registration fee worth $430. Monthly fees are not published. MindSpace by MindChamps at #02-43 is the same group's after-school student care, 8am to 7pm on weekdays.

Why kids will love it: A preschool with an ice cream counter and a ballet school under the same roof. Best for ages 2 to 6 whose parents work in Paya Lebar.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: MindChamps PreSchool at KINEX
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #03-19/40, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am to 7pm. Closed Sat and Sun.
Price: MindChamps does not publish its preschool fees online. Current offer 10 per cent off for 12 months, registration fee of $430 waived. Call 6440 0859.
Ages: 18 months to 6.

Four more centres on Levels 2 and 3 are tuition rather than enrichment and do not need an entry. First-Step Education at #02-05/06 teaches Chinese to young children, Tuesday to Sunday. Zhou's Academic Studio at #02-45 is PSLE Chinese tuition. Nanyang Education at #03-12/13 is maths and science from preschool to JC in groups of six. Zenith Education Studio at #02-09 is for secondary and JC students only. None of the four publishes fees.

Four of the 15 offer a free trial. For the island-wide list, read our guide to free trial classes for kids in Singapore. Browse KINEX classes on Jungle.

Eat with kids at KINEX

KINEX has 36 food outlets, no food court. The basement K-unit kiosks stand in: congee, bibimbap, kebabs, pasta and Taiwanese pastry at counter prices, shared tables. One restaurant publishes a child price, one fast-food chain a children's meal, and four more below have a kids' menu but no price online.

14. JING: under-fives eat free at the halal hotpot and grill buffet

JING at #02-19/20 is a halal Chinese hotpot and grill buffet, and it is the one restaurant in the mall with a children's price on paper. Children eat for half: $20.95++ at lunch from Monday to Thursday and $23.95++ at dinner and all day from Friday to Sunday, against $41.90++ and $47.90++ for an adult, and guests aged 5 and under eat free.

Prices are from a May 2026 review and exclude 10 per cent service and 9 per cent GST. The restaurant opens 12pm to 10.30pm, last seating 8.30pm, which is late for a small child.

Why kids will love it: Cooking their own fishball in the pot and grilling a marshmallow on the plate. Best for ages 4 to 12. Book a table and go at 12pm, when it is quiet and the child is free.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: JING
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #02-19/20, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: 12pm to 10.30pm daily. Last seating 8.30pm.
Price: Child $20.95++ to $23.95++. Adult $41.90++ to $47.90++. Free for ages 5 and under.
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9).

15. Burger King: King Jr meals from $7.50

Burger King at #01-42 is the only place in the mall with a boxed children's meal. The King Jr set, a cheeseburger, four nuggets or a fish burger with a side, a drink and a toy, is $7.50 on the aggregator menu dated June 2026; check the app for the day's price. It opens at 8am, an hour before most Saturday classes, and has the high chairs that the basement kiosks do not.

Why kids will love it: The toy, then the fries. Best for any age. Sit upstairs at 12.30pm on a Saturday and you will hear the Level 2 class pick-up.

View on Jungle: not yet listed
Website: Burger King Singapore
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-42, KINEX, Singapore 437157. Google Maps
Opening hours: 8am to 10pm daily.
Price: King Jr meals from $7.50 (June 2026 aggregator menu).
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9).

The rest of the kid-friendly list

• Sukiya, #01-52: gyudon bowls, open 24 hours, kids' meal on the menu, price not published online.
• Kucina Italian Restaurant, #B1-09/10: halal Italian with a kids' section, prices not online. Pasta from $18, pizza from $24. 11.30am to 10pm.
• Good Combo Hotpot and BBQ Buffet, #01-60/61/62: $19.99++ weekdays, $22.99++ weekends, 90 minutes until 3pm. No published child price. 11.30am to 11.30pm.
• Pasta Play, #B1-K1: build-your-own pasta at kiosk prices, the easiest plain-noodle order in the mall. 10am to 10pm.
• US Pizza, #01-65/66: pizza a four-year-old will accept. Dine-in 11am to 10pm.
• Encik Tan, #01-50/51: halal Hainanese curry rice and fishball noodles, 10.15am to 8.45pm.
• Popeyes, #01-50/51: fried chicken, 7.30am to 2am.
• Geláre, #01-K1: Level 1 ice cream next to Little Cook, 11am to 9pm.
• Bingxue, #B1-30: the $1 matcha ice cream, in the basement.
• Kazo, #B1-K24/25: cream puffs in the basement, 10am to 10pm.
• Starbucks, #01-17: 8am to 11pm, for the parent waiting through a 9am ballet class.

There is no McDonald's, no Swensen's and no KFC. For a proper children's menu, PLQ Mall across the road has more.

Family facilities at KINEX

• Nursing room: Level 2, open 10am to 10pm daily. The mall does not publish its contents; changing tables are in the toilets on each floor.
• Stroller loan and family parking: neither is listed on the mall's site.
• Wheelchair loan and first aid: at the Customer Service Counter, 8368 8743.
• Car park, 2am to 6pm: $1.80 for the first hour, then $0.50 per 15 minutes. Same rates every day including public holidays, with a 10-minute grace period.
• Car park, 6pm to 2am: $2.40 per entry, every day including public holidays.
• EV charging: Level 4.
• WiFi: free for 60 minutes.
• ATMs: AXS on Basement 1, UOB on Level 1.
• Mall hours: 10am to 10pm daily. Several tenants open earlier (Popeyes 7.30am, Burger King and Starbucks 8am, Sukiya 24 hours).

Getting there

KINEX is on Tanjong Katong Road, on the south side of Geylang Road, diagonally across the junction from City Plaza.

• By MRT: Paya Lebar (EW8/CC9) is about 400 metres away. Take Exit D, which comes up at City Plaza on Geylang Road, cross at the lights and walk down Tanjong Katong Road, six minutes with a stroller.
• By bus: 2, 7, 13, 21, 24, 26, 28, 30, 40, 43, 51, 67, 76, 135, 154, 155, 197 and 853C stop on Tanjong Katong Road and Sims Avenue outside. NR7 runs at night.
• By car and taxi: The car park entrance is off Tanjong Katong Road. $1.80 for the first hour by day, $2.40 flat after 6pm.

Make a day of it

The free playground KINEX lacks is five minutes away, and the rest of the afternoon is within a 12-minute walk.

• Banyan Tree playground at PLQ Parkside, five minutes on foot beside the PLQ 3 tower: free, open 9am to 9pm and built for ages 2 to 12. Climbing nets, a double-helix fireman's pole, four swings and a toddler corner with mini trampolines.
• SMIGY at PLQ Mall, Level 3 across the road: the paid indoor option, $23 to $35 for one child and one adult for one or two hours, best for ages 1 to 6. PLQ's roof garden on Level 7 is open 10am to 10pm.
• Geylang East Public Library, ten minutes north: open 10am to 9pm daily except public holidays, with an air-conditioned children's section.
• Geylang East ActiveSG swimming complex: $1 for an adult and 50 cents for a child on weekdays. Closed on Mondays.
• Geylang Serai Market, a 12-minute walk east: 63 cooked-food stalls.

At a glance

KINEX is a mall where the classes are the reason and the ice cream is the reward, and the playground is across the road. Book a trial before you go, and browse every enrichment class in Paya Lebar on Jungle.